Premier: Telling companies to spy is 'not how China behaves'

A Xinjiang delegate walks among the delegates as they leave the Great Hall of the People after attending the closing session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Delegates leave the Great Hall of the People after attending the closing session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Female delegates leave the Great Hall of the People after attending the closing session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Soldiers in usher uniforms push a barricade as they prepare to close off the Great Hall of the People after the closing session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

An ethnic minority delegate leaves the Great Hall of the People after attending the closing session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks during a press conference after the closing session of the National People's Congress in Beijing's Great Hall of the People on Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

A soldier in usher uniform stands guard as delegates leave the Great Hall of the People after the closing session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks during a press conference after the closing session of the National People's Congress in Beijing's Great Hall of the People on Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

A military band plays the national anthem during the closing session of the National People's Congress in Beijing's Great Hall of the People on Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks during a press conference after the closing session of the National People's Congress in Beijing's Great Hall of the People on Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Chinese women pose with national flags in front of the Great Hall of the People as paramilitary policemen try to clear Tiananmen Square after the daily flag raising ceremony before the closing session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, right, speaks during a press conference held after the closing session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives for a press conference after the closing session of the National People's Congress in Beijing's Great Hall of the People on Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Asked whether Beijing told Chinese companies to spy, Li said, "Let me tell you explicitly that this is not consistent with Chinese law. This is not how China behaves. We did not do that and will not do that in the future."

The United States and some other governments have imposed curbs on use of technology from Chinese vendors including Huawei Technologies Ltd. as possible security risks.

Huawei, the biggest global maker of network gear for phone and internet companies, has denied accusations it facilitates Chinese spying.

Huawei's founder told reporters this year he would reject government requests to disclose confidential information about foreign customers.